Kim Jong Un (R) tours the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Site in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 13 June (Thursday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) toured different locales in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province and toured Taegwan Glass Factory.  Attending the visits were VMar Choe Ryong Hae (Director of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department), Choe Hwi (Senior Deputy [1st vice] Director of the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Propaganda and Agitation Department), Pak Tae Song (Deputy KWP Department Director) and Ri Man Gon (Chief Secretary of the North P’yo’ngan KWP Provincial Committee).  Kim Jong Un’s last reported public appearance was his visit to the Pyongyang International Football (soccer) School, the Rungna Sports Park and the offices of the State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Committee.

Kim Jong Un reviews a product display at Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un grins whilst touring a section of the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un’s first stop in Ch’angso’ng County was to the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory.  He toured the factory’s historical exhibition followed by “the milling work-team, liquor production work-team, confectionary production work-team, wild fruit processing work-team and the products show room and other various places of the factory.”  According to KCNA he “praised the employees of the factory and officials in the field concerned not only for building it well as befitting a base specializing in processing wild fruits but achieving a lot of successes in carrying out the instructions given by Kim Jong Il to take the lead in wild fruit processing” and “underscored the need for the factory to more energetically push forward technological updating, not resting content with the successes already achieved, and steadily raise the level of technical skills of the employees and meticulously organize the factory and business management.”  Kim Jong Un also “expressed expectation and belief that the employees of the factory would intensify the drive for increased production, bearing deep in mind the profound loving care shown by the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il for the people.”   He ended his visit by posing for commemorative photographs with factory managers and employees.

View of Ch’angso’ng-u’p, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Google image)

Kim Jong Un (2nd R) is briefed about products of the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un inspects a product of the Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un smokes a cigarettes and reads a menu at the Ch’angso’ng Restaurant (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un holds a cigarette while touring a kitchen in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un also visited the Ch’angso’ng Restaurant and Ch’angso’ng Noodle House where he “asked about their accommodation capacity and measures to keep them provided with adequate quantities of foodstuff” and “underlined the need to promote culinary festival in order to further develop cooking culture as required by the new century.”  According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un “expressed expectation and belief that the employees of the restaurant and the noodle house would improve their service in the spirit of dedication to the people” and posed for commemorative photographs with the restaurants’ employees.  He then visited Undok Health Complex where he “called for more splendidly remodeling it, noting there can be no satisfaction in doing anything for the people.”

He later visited Ch’angso’ng-u’p, the county seat.  He “praised the builders for successfully constructing the town to suit the characteristics of the mountainous county” and “noting that the county is playing the role of a base for carrying out the three revolutions, ideological, technical and cultural, and vanguard in the struggle for defending the socialist system” Kim Jong Un “called on it to increase its role as required by the Military-First (So’ngun) era.”  Kim Jong Un toured the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Museum and was “briefed on it before the monument to the immortal revolutionary activities conducted by the great Generalissimos and Kim Hyong Jik, an outstanding leader of the anti-Japanese national liberation movement in Korea, in the land of Ch’angso’ng.”

Kim Jong Un tours Undok Health Complex in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un grins during a tour of the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Museum (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

According to KCNA, he “called for sprucing up Changsong County as a people’s paradise and making hurrah for socialism ring out louder from the county” then attended a photo-op with museum employees.  Kim Jong Un then visited the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Historical Site and the the county’s cultural hall.  Of the revolutionary site he called for “preserving it on a permanent basis to educate party members and other people, soldiers and school youth and children in the immortal revolutionary exploits performed by Kim Il Sung in leading the Fatherland Liberation War (Korean War) to victory and his noble personality” and “proposed a task for creating art pieces depicting Kim Il Sung working at the revolutionary site.”  At the cultural hall, he watched a performance by Ch’angso’ng County’s art propaganda squad.  According to KCNA he “highly praised the members of the art group for giving a successful performance with great cognitional and instructive value by truthfully representing their life” then posed for commemorative photographs with the art squad’s members.

Kim Jong Un (C) poses for a commemorative photograph in front of a revolutionary historical marker at Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Site (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

Kim Jong Un (R) smokes a cigarette and talks with a subordinate during a performance by the Ch’angso’ng County art propaganda squad at the county’s cultural hall (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

In August 1962, the late DPRK President and founder Kim Il Sung (paternal grandfather of Kim Jong Un) led the Joint Conference of Local Party and Economic Officials, which convened in Ch’angso’ng County.  The meeting resulted in the publication, under Kim Il Sung’s name, of “Theses on the Socialist Rural Question in Our Country.”  Kim Jong Il conducted multiple visits to sites Ch’angso’ng County and the county was established as a model for developing local economies in the DPRK.  According to one official DPRK text, “experience of Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province, a county which after Comrade Kim Il Sung’s field guidance there, made good use of its mountains, comprising 90 per cent of its whole territory, and turned itself into a rich and modern county by developing livestock farming and local industry.”  The 50th anniversary of the Ch’angso’ng joint conference was held on 8 August 2012 at which a third generation of Kim treatises on the county, ”Let Us Build All Counties into People’s Paradise Good to Live in by Embodying Historic Spirit of Changsong Joint Conference” by Kim Jong Un, was read.  Ch’angso’ng County is also the location of a residential compound used by members of the Kim Family and other DPRK elites, which sits on the DPRK-China border.

View of the Kanam-ri residential complex of the Kim Family and other DPRK elites (Photo: Google image).

Kim Jong Un tours an assembling shop with CNC machines during a tour of Taegwan Glass Factory in North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

DPRK state media reported on 14 June (Friday) that Kim Jong Un visited the Taegwan Glass Factory in Taegwan County, North P’yo’ngan Province.  He inspected “the performance of the optical measuring instruments” and said that “it further improved the performance of the instruments than last year and ensured their safety. . .in order to make the instruments produced at the factory prove effective in reality, it is necessary to further raise their precision.  The inquiry into the performance of the instruments today proved that it is quite possible to succeed if endeavors are made, based on scientific researches and technological updating.”  Kim Jong Un also inspected other assembly and production sectors in the factory.  According to KCNA, he said “the optical measuring instruments being produced at the factory require high technology, stressing that in order to keep the production going at a high rate and improve their quality it is necessary to give full play to the mental power of the producers, intensify scientific researches and steadily raise the level of technical skills of the workers” and “underlined the need to focus efforts on the independent technological development capable of surpassing the world level, put the production processes on a modern and automatic basis and wage a more dynamic drive to raise the rate of locally available equipment and materials.”

Kim Jong Un “underscored the need to raise high demands to the units producing items of cooperative production and successfully conduct cooperative operations” then he inspected computer numerical control machines.  According to KCNA, he “set forth tasks which would serve as guidelines for the management and operation of the factory and production.”  After touring the factory, Kim Jong Un posed for commemorative photographs with factory employees, managers and officials “expressing expectation and belief that they would boost the production of quality and modern glass products and optical instruments by conducting a widespread mass technological innovation movement, true to the WPK’s idea of pushing back the frontiers of the latest science and technology.”

Commemorative Photo Watch

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with managers, officials and employees of Ch’angso’ng Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with employees of a restaurant in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with restaurant employees in Ch’angso’ng County, North P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with employees and officials of the Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Museum (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un (C) poses for a commemorative photograph with museum employees in front of a revolutionary historical marker at Ch’angso’ng Revolutionary Site (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

Kim Jong Un poses for a commemorative photograph with members of the Ch’angso’ng County art propaganda squad in front of the county cultural hall (Photo: Rodong Sinmun).

Kim Jong Un “Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em” Watch

(Photos: Rodong Sinmun)

DPRK head of state Kim Yong Nam and other senior officials tour the Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

DPRK state media reported on 14 June (Friday) that DPRK official head of state Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] Presidium President Kim Yong Nam and “officials of the working people’s organizations, ministries and national institutions” visited the Pyongyang Essential Foodstuff Factory in east Pyongyang.  The food factory was recently visited by DPRK leader Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n), reported on 7 June, and DPRK Cabinet Premier Pak Pong Ju, reported on 13 June.  KCNA reported that the factory “has turned into a modern essential foodstuff production base all the production processes of which have been automatized ranging from feeding of raw material to packing, a factory which has established a high level of cultured practice in production and life.”

SPA Presidium President Kim Yong Nam (1), the DPRK’s head of state, is briefed about food production touring a visit by senior DPRK officials. Also seen in attendance is SPA Presidium Vice President Yang Hyong Sop (2) and DPRK Vice Premier Kang Sok Ju (3) (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

Kim Yong Nam and the other senior officials began their visit by delivering flowers and bowing to a mosaic of late DPRK President and founder Kim Il Sung and late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il visiting the factory.  They toured the factory and watched a video “being briefed on the founding of the factory and its development, leadership feats performed by the great Generalissimos Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and Marshal Kim Jong Un and the history of the development of the factory at the room dedicated to its history,” according to KCNA.  The group toured the factory’s amenities and service centers for employees such as its childcare facility, cultural center, public baths, swimming pool and resource libraries.  Whilst “seeing the production processes whose automation and robotization have been placed on a high level including the general control room, refined table oil, seasoning, refined salt and vitamin E and their packing processes,” Kim Yong Nam and the other senior officials “deeply grasped the patriotic intention of Kim Jong Un on accelerating the modernization of the factory by the DPRK’s efforts and technology,” according to KCNA.

SPA Presidium President Kim Yong Nam and other senior DPRK government officials tour a childcare classroom at Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

DPRK nominal head of state Kim Yong Nam and other senior DPRK officials view an employees’ swimming pool at Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

SPA Presidium President Kim Yong Nam and other senior DPRK officials tour Pyongyang Essential Foodstuffs Factory (Photo: KCNA-Yonhap).

DPRK Embassy in Beijing (Photo: Google image)

DPRK state media reported that the DPRK Embassy in Beijing hosted a reception commemorating the 30th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s “maiden visit” to China in 1983.  Attending the reception from the Chinese government were Vice President Li Yuanchao, Deputy Director of the Communist Party of China’s International Liaison Department Liu Jieyi and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin.  DPRK Ambassador to China Ji Jae Ryong and embassy personnel attended on behalf of the DPRK.  In his anniversary speech, according to KCNA, Ji Jae Ryong remarked “that the maiden visit to China by Kim Jong Il was a historic event which greatly contributed to putting on a new high stage the traditional DPRK-China friendship which was provided and cultivated by President Kim Il Sung together with Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai and other leaders of the elder generation of China and stood all tests of history and to ensuring the peace and security in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world and advancing the human cause of independence against imperialism” and that “Kim Jong Un is paying deep attention to boosting the DPRK-China friendly relations true to the noble intention of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.”  Ji also said “we will as ever make joint efforts with Chinese comrades to steadily boost the traditional DPRK-China friendship.”

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao (L) and DPRK Ambassador to the PRC Ji Jae Ryong (R) spoke at an anniversary reception commemorating Kim Jong Il’s 1983 visit to China held at the DPRK Embassy to China on 13 June 2013 (Photos: Xinhua and Yonhap)

According to KCNA, Li Yuanchao said in his speech that “Kim Jong Il worked heart and soul to develop the Korean revolution and construction and the traditional Sino-DPRK friendly relations and made important contributions” and “First Secretary Kim Jong Un in his recent personal letter sent to General Secretary Xi Jinping underlined the need to carry forward and develop the traditional Sino-DPRK friendly relations.”  Li also said “the Chinese party and government set great store by the Sino-DPRK friendly relations and the new collective leadership of the Communist Party of China will together with the party and government of the DPRK respect and trust each other and conduct friendly exchange and cooperation in the spirit of inheriting the tradition, facing up to the future, building good-neighborly friendship and strengthening cooperation and thus promote the development of the Sino-DPRK friendly relations and defend the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”

The reception in Beijing followed a similar anniversary event hosted by the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Central Committee at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang on 4 June.  The Pyongyang reception commemorating the 30th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s visit to China was attended by PRC Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Hongcai, PRC Embassy personnel and Chinese nationals and students working in the DPRK.  KWP Secretary and Director of the International Affairs Department [IAD] Kim Yong Il attended the reception on behalf of the DPRK, and was joined by officials from the IAD, the DPRK Foreign Ministry and the National Defense Commission.

Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Hongcai (L) and KWP International Affairs Secretary Kim Yong Il (R) spoke at an anniversary event commemorating Kim Jong Il’s 1983 visit to China, held at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang on 4 June 2013 (Photos: PRC Embassy in the DPRK, NKLW file photo).

In his speech Kim Yong Il said “Kim Jong Il’s visit to China in June 1983 marked a historic event of weighty significance in boosting the traditional DPRK-China friendship generation after generation” and “recalled that senior officials of the party and state of China enthusiastically welcomed Kim Jong Il, who paid a maiden visit to their country as most important state guest and accorded him cordial hospitality with all sincerity.”  Kim Yong Il also remarked that “Kim Jong Il, setting greatest store by the DPRK-China friendship provided by President Kim Il Sung, exerted great efforts to make the deeply rooted friendship flourish and develop.  It is the noble duty and obligation of the present generation to steadily boost the precious DPRK-China friendship associated with great efforts of the leaders of the elder generation of the two parties and countries.  The recent visit paid by a special envoy of Comrade Kim Jong Un to China marked an important occasion in steadily boosting the DPRK-China friendly relations, wealth common to the peoples of the two countries, as required by the new times.”  According to KCNA, Kim also said that “tt is the unshakable political stand of the WPK and the government of the DPRK to steadily develop the DPRK-China friendship, he said, stressing that the WPK would in the future, too, to boost with vitality and dynamism the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.”

Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Hongcai, according to KCNA, said “General Secretary Kim Jong Il visited China several times to forge close relations with Chinese party and state leaders and worked heart and soul to boost the Sino-DPRK friendly and cooperative relations” and that “China and the DPRK are the friendly neighbors linked by the same mountain and rivers, he said, stressing that it is the consistent stand of the Chinese party and government to steadily develop the Sino-DPRK friendly relations.”  Liu also said “the Chinese side deems it important to invariably develop the Sino-DPRK friendly relations on a strategic height and from a long-term viewpoint” and Liu “underscored the need to further value the Sino-DPRK friendship, the precious common treasure of the two peoples, and carry forward and develop it generation after generation.”  Liu “recalled that the special envoy of First Secretary of Kim Jong Un visited China and met with General Secretary Xi Jinping and other leading officials of China and had an in-depth and candid exchange of views on issues of common concern” and said “the relations between the two countries at present have entered a new historic phase. . .underlining the need to promote common development on the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefit and co-prosperity and thus bring welfare to the two peoples.”

The two events commemorating the anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s visit to China in 1983 appear to be part of a reconciliation process between the DPRK and China.  The Beijing reception was attended by PRC Vice President Li Yuanchao, who visited the DPRK Embassy on a condolence call after Kim Jong Il’s death in December 2011 and who lead a CPC delegation on an official visit to the DPRK in June 2011, during which he met with the late DPRK leader.  Also attending the Beijing anniversary event were Liu Jieyi, who escorted VMar Choe Ryong Hae during his visit to Beijing in May 2013, and Liu Zhenmin, who had previously participated in several senior DPRK-PRC interactions.